By Geryl Ogilvy
KUCHING, Apr 30: Small business enterprises, including small and medium industries (SMEs), will be allowed to operate soon, said Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Without revealing further details, he added that the announcement will be made in due time.
“Allowing small and medium enterprises and industries to operate is among the rules that will be relaxed during the movement control order (MCO).
“This will be announced along with the standard operating procedure (SOP) for the SMEs to be in operation,” he told a media briefing on the daily MCO update in Putrajaya today.
SMEs and small industries have remained closed since the MCO was enforced on Mar 18. The restricted movement order has been extended three times with the latest phase to end on May 12.
On Apr 28, International Trade and Industry Minister, Datuk Seri Azmin Ali announced that economic sectors allowed to operate at half capacity during the first three phases of the MCO have been allowed to carry on at full capacity starting yesterday.
He added that these companies must comply with government guidelines in their respective sectors, such as social distancing measures. Failure to to do would result in termination of permit and legal action.
“Companies that have already been approved need not apply to the ministry,” he said in a statement.
Sectors allowed to operate at half capacity since the MCO was imposed on Mar 18 included machinery and aerospace industries, construction projects such as tunnelling works and slope maintenance, as well as hardware, electrical and electronic shops.—DayakDaily
